Action Sorcerer

A fellow member of the GURPS Discord asked about a Sorcerer template for GURPS Action, and I thought “why not?”

I haven’t assumed anything about how magic works in the setting. As such, the template is implicitly optimized for settings where Sorcery is the only kind of magic, because if other kinds of magic are available, each kind of mage will specialize differently. But even if multiple kinds of magic exist, it should be enough to just tweak the template slightly.

I have included a new specialty for Current Affairs and Savoir-Fare: “Magic and occult societies”, and the new “Locations of magic or occult importance” specialty for Area Knowledge. Just ignore them if they’re not applicable to your game.

Sorcerer

Master of the arcane arts, you’re the wildcard on the team. While only you can deal with magical obstacles and perform otherwise impossible feats, that needn’t be your specialization. You can focus in solving a certain kind of problems, or you can be a jack of many trades. It all depends on your spell selection.

Attributes: ST 10 [0]; DX 12 [40]; IQ 12 [40]; HT 11 [10].
Secondary Characteristics: Damage 1d-2/1d; BL 20 lbs.; HP 10 [0]; Will 12 [0]; Per 12 [0]; FP 11 [0]; Basic Speed 6 [5]; Basic Move 6 [0].
Advantages: Luck [15]; Sorcerous Empowerment 6 [70]; and Sorcery Talent 3 [30]. 25 points in sorcery spells; put leftovers into other advantages. A further 25 points chosen from among lens advantages (GURPS Action pp. 4-5, and Learned Sorcerer below), DX +1 [20], IQ +1 [20], HT +1 or +2 [10/level], Per +1 to +5 [5/level], Will +1 to +5 [5/level], Accelerated Casting [10] (Pyramid #3/82: Magical Creations, p. 10), Contact Group (Magic or occult experts or beings; Skill-12, 15, or 18; 9 or less; Somewhat Reliable) [5, 10, or 15], Daredevil [15], Energy Reserve 1-8 [3/level], Gizmos 1-3 [5/gizmo], Language Talent [10], Languages (any) [2-6/language], Mind Shield [4/level], Sensitive [5] or Empathy [15], Serendipity 1 [15], Signature Gear [varies], Sorcerous Empowerment 7 or 8 [10/level], Sorcery Talent 4 or 5 [10/level], Spirit Empathy [10], Unfazeable [15], Voice [10], or replace Luck [15] with Extraordinary Luck [30] for 15 points.
Disadvantages: -30 points chosen from among Bad Temper [-10*], Disturbing Voice [-10], Dyslexia [-10], Frightens Animals [-10], Mistaken Identity [-5], Obsession (Any related to magic) [-5* or -10*], Overconfidence [-5*], Overweight [-1] or Fat [-3] or Skinny [-5], Paranoia [-10], Pyromania [-5*], Secret (Sorcerer) [-5 to -30], Social Stigma (Criminal Record) [-5], Unfit [-5] or Very Unfit [-15], Unluckiness [-10], Unnatural Features 1-5 [-1/level], or Weirdness Magnet [-15]. Another -20 points chosen from among the previous traits or Absent-Mindedness [-15], Alcoholism [-15], Clueless [-10], Cowardice [-10*], Curious [-5*], Insomniac [-10 or -15], Loner [-5*], Low Pain Threshold [-10], Nightmares [-5*], Oblivious [-5], Phantom Voices [-5 to -15], Post-Combat Shakes [-5*], Sense of Duty (Team) [-5], Stubbornness [-5] or Trickster [-15*].
Primary Skills: Hidden Lore (Any) (A) IQ+0 [2]-12; and Thaumatology (VH) IQ-1 [4]-11.
Secondary Skills: Guns (Pistol) (E) DX+0 [1]-12. Spend 11 points among Innate Attack (Any) (DX/E); Stealth (DX/A); Area Knowledge (Locations of magic or occult importance), Current Affairs (Magic and occult societies), or Savoir Faire (Magic and occult societies), all (IQ/E); Hazardous Materials (Magic), or Research, both (IQ/A); Intimidation (Will/A); Autohypnosis (Will/H); or raise one of the primary skills or Guns.
Background Skills: Choose a 20-point lens (GURPS Action, pp. 4-5, and Learned Sorcerer below). Computer Operation (E) IQ [1]-12 and Driving (Automobile or Motorcycle) (A) DX-1 [1]-12.

* Multiplied for self-control number; see p. B120.

Customization Notes

There are two main kinds of sorcerers: those who focus on learned spells (Sorcery, p. 6), and those who focus on hardcore improvisation (Sorcery, p. 7). The former are less flexible but can cast more spells before running out of energy, while the latter have a much wider repertoire at their disposal at the cost of getting winded after just a couple improvised spells. Improvisation specialists also often favor Malediction spells because they require high Will, which is also beneficial for hardcore improvisation.  They also tend to have higher levels of Sorcerous Empowerment for the same reason.

While investing in damage-dealing spells may seem attractive, this is usually a poor choice in games featuring guns. Even at 1/5 of its full spell cost, an Innate Attack that is better than a firearm can be quite expensive. Guns also don’t require you to expend 1 FP with each attack. Anyone can shoot a gun, but nobody else can buff allies, control the battlefield, and disable the opposition as you can. If you must do damage, focus on effects firearms can’t produce, like for example area effect. This is good advice for selecting spells in general. While you can use magic to do anything your mundane counterparts can, often better at the cost of versatility, only you can control minds, teleport, or counter hostile magic.

Your choice of background is more important than to other action heroes, because it is your only choice of mundane skills. In most cases, it is best to select skills which allow you to do things you can’t do with your chosen spells. Thus, the following section highlights skills for which magic is a poor substitute:

Criminal: You’re a “street mage”. You use your connections in the underworld to help the underprivileged, or as a source of work. Streetwise, Savoir-Faire (Mafia), and Contact or Contact Group are crucial. The more physical skills are likely remnants from before you developed your magic abilities.

Intelligence: In settings where magic is public knowledge, sorcerous spies are highly sought after specialists. If magic is secret, you are one of those tasked with keeping it out of the hands of various organizations – likely including your own employer!  Information gathering and analysis skills such as Area Knowledge, Cryptography, Current Affairs, Intelligence Analysis, and Research are usually the most appropriate, because everything else you can do with magic.

Law Enforcement: In secret magic games, you’re either a private eye, or a cop who must balance keeping their abilities secret with policing the magical world. If you’re on a SWAT team, you’ll want to invest in Guns. Otherwise, skills not usually replaceable by magic include Administration, Criminology, Streetwise, Accounting, Forensics, and Tactics.

Military: Unless magic is public knowledge, you’re either a guerrilla, or the member of an elite, ultra-black team tasked with eliminating supernatural threats. Skills earned with this background are a good backup for when you run out of juice in a fight. Leadership, Strategy, or Tactics are also not easily replaced with magic.

Security: This background shares the characteristics of both intelligence and law enforcement; countering other magic users is likely your primary job. Brush up on your gun skills if you expect frequent engagements. Otherwise, focus on Administration, Criminology, Cryptography, Intelligence Analysis, Psychology, Tactics, and Body Language.

There is a new lens available for sorcerers:

Learned Sorcerer [20]

Magic is not just how you solve problems – you were raised, educated and employed as mage first and foremost. Spend 20 points on any combination of Will +1 to +2 [5/level], Contact Group (Magic or occult experts or beings; Skill-12, 15, or 18; 9 or less; Somewhat Reliable) [5, 10, or 15], Sorcerous Empowerment +1 [10], Sorcery Talent +1 [10], or the Sorcerer template’s IQ- or Will-based skills (only). Current Affairs and Savoir Faire of the Magic and occult societies specialty are key if you lack a Contact Group because they’re your only source of work.